Three days of excellent golf ended with an exciting finish to the North Island Men's and Women's Strokeplay Championships at the Waitangi Golf Club.
Lachie McDonald, from Marton Golf Club in the Manawatu/Wanganui region, held off a late fight from Chang Gi Lee, from Pupuke in Auckland, to win a sudden-death playoff with a birdie at the first hole of extra play to win the men's title - in a field of 50 in the event. McDonald led the field from day one with a 67 and set the pace after each round with a 66 on Thursday and 69 Saturday morning to go into the final round at 14 under par, three shots ahead of Lee who had jumped into second spot with a morning round of 67 entering the final round at 11 under par.
Lee shot a 71 Saturday afternoon to finish at 12 under par playing in the penultimate group, carding four bogies and five birdies. Meanwhile, in a tense final round playing with Luke Brown (The Pines) and Taylor Gill (Kerikeri), McDonald finished the front nine two over par with three bogies and one birdie.
After a birdie on 12, then back-to-back dropped shots on 15 and 16 he needed to make a crucial birdie on 17 and par 18 to finish 12 under par and set up the playoff.
Kerikeri-based teenager Taylor Gill finished a creditable third, shooting a two under par 70 to finish eight under par and take the bronze medal; followed by Northland stablemates and Whangarei pair Luke Brown (-7) and Kadin Neho (-3) fourth and fifth respectively.
